Paint the Sky with Stars
by Copper Tragic
Summary: Legolas arrives in Imladris unexpected with little more than the clothes on his back. Something haunts the boy, but he is none too willing to speak of it. After everything he has been through with the twins, will their friendship be enough?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
"Elrohir, awake."  
  
The aforementioned twin, without focusing his eyes to see who the disturber of his sleep was, groaned a protest. He was warm and cozy beneath the covers, and had no need for sloppy, slippery, muddy and wet morning of post- rain. It was early winter in Imladris, and the weather had been a nearly constant string of rainy days, with the occasional hailstorm. Scholarly and organized, Elrohir personally looked forward to the days of snow: tidy, clean snow, fun to play in and easy to be rid of.  
  
"Elrohir, Ada says you must waken," Elladan said, shaking his brother.  
  
"Why?" asked Elrohir when his brother failed to desist. Rolling onto his side, he took a good look at Elladan. The elder twin wore leather boots, running over his thick leggings, his cloak fastened over his tunic. By the half-grim, half-pleased expression on Elladan's face, Elrohir knew exactly why he had been roused at this Eru-cursed hour. He moaned and flopped to a sleeping position. "Not today!"  
  
"Yes, today, it must be today. Signs of rain show; the day may be one of sunshine for only hours and you waste away precious seconds here in bed being a jolly great whinger! And, no matter what you say, Ada says you must waken. Morning is half gone!"  
  
"I never," muttered Elrohir, grudgingly forcing himself into sitting position. "The sun only rises, the morn half gone! Now that I am awake, Elladan, and my sleep ruined, leave me be!"  
  
"All right, but if you are not in the corridor in a quarter-hour I will fetch a pitcher of water and pour it over your sleeping head."  
  
"You would not dare!" Elrohir returned, quite fearing that his twin would dare, and shoved Elladan from the room. In peace he hastened to dress himself and comb his hair, then hurried to meet Elladan in the hall, fastening his cloak around his shoulders. "We are to practice tracking, I presume?" Elrohir stated, distrusting Elladan's grin.  
  
"Well, not. . .exactly," Elladan replied. "Ada said I may not go riding alone, and I--"  
  
"Elladan!" exclaimed Elrohir, incensed. "You woke me because you wished to go riding?"  
  
"You promised me you would come," Elladan returned. "I asked you last night and you said I might wake you early, if Ada said no." For a moment the two identical boys walked in silence, both ashamed--Elladan for his joking and Elrohir for being so angry and forgetful. "Please let's not fight, Elrohir. You said you would come, and. . .well, it means a lot to me, these rides, and Ada will not let me go alone. It is not the same with him, though he offered to accompany me. This is something I wish to share only with you. To me it is something special."  
  
In silence the twins walked out into the muddy Imladris of predawn. It took a moment, but their eyes adjusted and they continued. Their silence was not companionable. At last, as they reached the stables, Elladan burning and Elrohir contemplating, the boys faced one another. "You are still here," Elladan commented.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," Elrohir said, amazed at his own harshness. He knew how Elladan felt, and was so often the passive twin!  
  
With a pained nod Elladan drew open the stable door and entered. Elrohir stayed for a moment, hoping to calm himself and approach his brother in a calmer manner. Hands in his pockets, Elrohir watched clouds of vapor appear as he breathed. Before he was quite ready to make a decision, he heard a cry. "Elrohir! Elrohir!"  
  
"Elladan, what is it?" asked Elrohir, running to find what was wrong with his brother. He did not notice the pleasant smell of horses and fodder, nor the welcome warmth of so many horses. Panic overtook anger. Yet Elladan stood, looking fine, staring into an empty stall. Elrohir calmed, anger rising again as he approached. "Elladan--"  
  
"Elrohir, do you think he is all right?" Elladan muttered under his breath.  
  
"Who?" drawing even with Elladan, Elrohir gazed into the stall. There, on a pile of hay, blond locks mixed with blond straw. The Elfling child was unmistakable; small and pale. His thumb rested in his mouth, and by all appearances he rested--save his eyes. His eyes were closed.  
  
With a gasp, Elrohir mimed a sign to the Valar to protect the child. Elladan called his name quietly. "Legolas?"  
  
*****  
  
To be continued 


	2. Private

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
Elladan leapt over the stall door, the inbred habit of a thrill-seeker, and landed softly in the hay on the other side. Why he did not run for his father was beyond him, that would have been the smarter thing to do and he knew it. Nevertheless, Elladan crept forward and knelt beside his sleeping friend. The Elfling twin rested his head beside Legolas's, not knowing why, and watched the younger boy.  
  
Legolas seemed peaceful. His breathing (breathing--thank the Valar for this, Elladan marked) was deep and peaceful, his entirety radiated serenity. He seemed just fine, by all appearances was unhurt. Why, then, did his eyes close in sleep? By certain occasions this might afflict an Elf, as Elladan well knew: by death, ruled out by the presence of breath; by grievous injury, seeming impossible for the lack of blood; or by the coming of an Elf to the narrow ledge afore heartbreak. Thence had Legolas arrived in this place, by elimination?  
  
With a shuddering, hopeful breath he dared place a hand on the young prince's shoulder and shook him. "Legolas?" he asked. If indeed the boy had reached the precipice that served so dangerous a watchtower for the suicide of heartbreak, Elladan doubted he would wake. There was only and always hope. "Legolas, return to us. Come on, Tick," he said, employing the nickname by which he endeared the prince and amiably mocked his stature.  
  
His breathing hitched, and one lazily moving hand touched Elladan's. "I wake," Legolas murmured.  
  
"You freeze! Are you all right, are you hurt?" Elladan asked all in one breath. "Here, take this." Fumbling the clasp, Elladan drew his cloak from around his shoulders and wrapped it around his younger companion. What to do first? As Elladan considered, knowing that his friend could do with a warm bed with a cozy blanket, something to eat, and most certainly a bath, but wondering, above all, why Legolas had chosen to bed in the stable on a rainy day in winter, when he was always welcome in Imladris.  
  
"Elladan," said the prince, his voice a fight with every word, clouds appearing from his breath. "Have you got anything to eat?"  
  
Elladan smiled a pitiful little smile and checked his pockets. He had an apple he had intended as a treat for his grumpy horse and bread and cheese for his grumpy brother. All of this he gave to Legolas, having no need of it. Briefly voicing his thanks, Legolas raised himself to sitting position and shoved as much in his mouth as possible, regardless of propriety and manners. Elladan only made certain his friend did not fall back.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" Elladan asked as Legolas swallowed the last of the food. The younger Elfling nodded. "Good. Will you come in now?" Legolas turned doleful eyes on Elladan, who shook his head. "Ada must know, Legolas." The boy startled. "If you do not come inside, I suppose I shall have to make comfortable myself in the straw to keep you here. You are in no condition to leave."  
  
"Elladan, I--" Legolas began, but before he could finish was cut off by an exclamation.  
  
"By Eru!"  
  
Elladan and Legolas turned to see Elrohir and Elrond watching them. Elrohir must have run to fetch his father while the other two were speaking. Uncertain of what to say, registering the Elven lord's look of surprise, Elladan and Legolas gaped, speechless. It was the prince who first recovered his wits. "Lord Elrond," said Legolas, "if you will forgive my unorthodox. . .manner and appearance. . ."  
  
"He needs a bed," Elladan chimed, "and a decent meal."  
  
Elrond nodded slowly. "Come inside, all three of you," he said at last, sounding somewhat weary. "It seems there is much to be done."  
  
Back through the mud they trod, Elladan keeping protectively close to Legolas the entire time. The small boy muttered a continual stream of apologies, until at last Elrond cut him off abruptly, insisting that he was indeed welcome in Imladris, and this had been made clear before. Elrohir, for his part, followed to the side, then dropped back. Elladan equaled his twin, and together they kept an eye on their father and young friend as they spoke in hushed tones.  
  
"It looks as though you will not have your ride after all, Elladan," Elrohir said, not unkindly.  
  
"Legolas needs me, I think, more than I need a half hour's time in a saddle," Elladan replied.  
  
"I am sorry to have run for Ada. We seem to have interrupted something significant between the two of you."  
  
"It saved me much trouble. He cannot be left alone and I did not savor the prospect of carrying him in his sleep to the house. Poor little mite, he woke frigid and must be frightened," Elladan said.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Elrohir asked, giving tongue to his first thought.  
  
Elladan turned his head to look sidelong at his brother. "What ever we can, I suppose."  
  
*****  
  
CONCERNING AGES: In mortal years, Legolas is about thirteen years old and the twins fifteen. I'm not certain exactly how that would translate to Elvish years, as Tolkien said it could take 50 to 100 years for an Elf to fully mature.  
  
Daw the Mintsrel: Lucky you! We've not a winter season here, just summer year-round and hundred-mile winds that carry static to the air. A magically suicidal season, that is. Not that I'd trade it for the world, of course, but to know for a fact, a solid fact, that summer becomes autumn and some leaves fall from trees. . .*sigh*, I'm being melodramatic again, sorry. But thanks--coming from you, I mean, wow! You're. . .well, certainly you know what I mean.  
  
Lomiothiel: No, I don't think he's too old for that. He's only thirteen! As for what happened and why does no one know he arrived. . .mwuhaha! That will probably be next chapter.  
  
Thanks everyone, it was really great hearing from you all! 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
Knowing that it is rude to stare, Elladan and Elrohir glanced sidelong at Legolas, who eagerly devoured anything given to him. At last he looked up and caught their expressions, then blushed and sheepishly slowed his pace. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I never was good at remembering manners."  
  
"How long has it been since you had anything to eat?" Elrond inquired, more worried about his health than his manners.  
  
Legolas blushed. "Maybe. . .well, I lost my bow. . ." He blushed deeper and thought about this for a moment. "It must have been. . .Oh!" Remembering, he reached into his pocket and drew forth a number of small sticks with deep markings on them, seven markings along the side of each stick. There were four sticks of seven marks and one of three. Three of these, two with seven marks and the one with three, had vertical lines carved near the top of them. "This is. . .four weeks, and three days," Legolas explained. "These--" he motioned the ones with vertical markings "--come after I lost my bow."  
  
"Four weeks and three days in coming, ten and seven days with no weapons." Elrond's voice had taken an edge of severe disapproval, almost akin to sarcasm. "And I would wager anything your father does not know where you are."  
  
"I. . ." Legolas faltered. The coldness of Elrond's voice had caused him to shrink back, and now he almost trembled.  
  
"It is all right, Tick," Elladan whispered, reaching across the table to take his friend's hand. Legolas gave him a thankful, timid smile.  
  
"Perhaps I should go--" Legolas said, getting to his feet, but this idea was swiftly reputed.  
  
"No!" the twins chorused, but it was their father who sealed this, insisting, "We will send your father a letter; he must be worried sick about you! You may leave when he comes to collect you and not a moment before." The prince sat down again. "I am glad we have agreed on this." At that all three boys smiled, but dared not laugh out loud.  
  
For a moment silence prevailed. Legolas, after glancing about nervously, began to eat again. Ten and seven days living off berries and nuts and roots had given him a new appreciation of food, and a greater appetite for it. When next inquiries were made of him, they were in softer tones. "Will you tell us why you came here?" Elrond asked.  
  
"Because. . .because you said I could come," Legolas answered without meditation. "And because I needed to go. . .somewhere." He said something under his breath which the others could not understand.  
  
"Sorry, Legolas, none of us caught the last reason. Might you repeat it?"  
  
He nodded, then whispered, "I am frightened of the Lady Galadriel." To this there was much laughter from the twins and even a smile from Elrond.  
  
"We all are, dear," Elrohir said, giving Legolas a reassuring pat on the arm--which happened to be the only part of him available to Elrohir. At this Elrond sent his son a quieting look, and Elrohir obeyed this. Much as he loved his mother's mother, when she wished to be intimidating she certainly could be.  
  
"Were you running away from something? You say you needed to go somewhere. Were you running away?" Elrond asked, to which Legolas blushed and suddenly became very interested with his hands.  
  
"Not exactly," he said quietly, rubbing his eyes. "That is, not quite running--" he interrupted himself with a yawn, then finished, "--running away."  
  
Unwilling to chase the evasive comments of the young prince, Elrond nodded. "Do not think you are excused from an explanation, because you are not, but it is clear enough that you need to rest. Will you give your word that you will not leave this house until, at the least, this discussion is finished?"  
  
Legolas thought for a moment. His word, he knew, was everything. Breaking one's word was synonymous with sacrificing one's dignity and honour for ever. Though uncertain, wishing he had not come and indeed had not left home, Legolas slowly nodded. He was tired, cold, and sore. If need be, he would lie. But no matter what binding contracts were implied by it, all Legolas wished for just then was a warm bed and safe rest. "You have my word," he whispered.  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Author's note: Hm, this chapter. . .I don't know, but I don't like it. Please do tell me if something about it seems a bit off or lacking.  
  
Pippin the Hobbit-Elf: Absolutely not! I completely oppose the idea that any Elf would ever abuse a child.  
  
Radiion-hobbit warrior: Is something wrong with him, well, you might say so. He is thirteen, which in and of itself is a curse. As for why answers, no spoilers that easy!  
  
Lomiothiel: Suspense does tend to do that, doesn't it? I oppose spoilers, so shall tell you this much: something happened, yes, although no specifically TO him. Mwuhaha, with that awful, unfulfilling bit of information I bid you farewell!  
  
Gwyn: Oh, so subtle! Don't worry. Plenty of angst in store. (I've actually got some Legolas angst on an older account, not very good, but if you're interested I could find you a link) 


	4. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any recognizable characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's note: Generally I reserve these for the end, but this is very important. This story is NOT slash fiction. The exchange between Elladan and Legolas is one of friendship and brotherhood.  
  
*****  
  
It was dark when Legolas woke, for he had slept away the day and into the night. His head protested, sleepy, but his heart pounded within his chest, and he whimpered quietly. Perhaps from the cold and perhaps from fear, Legolas shook all over. For a moment he could not remember where he was, and as over many night in the wilderness he had mistaken the cover of branches for the roof over his head back in Mirkwood, now he worried for lack of stars. The shadow of a nighttime bird fell across the floor, and the boy shook himself. He was being silly now.  
  
The dreams had been coming for many weeks now, nearing ten months. Ever since. . .ever since the Change came, the dreams had been coming. Legolas did not remember the images when he awoke that caused him such worry in his sleep, and in some times was glad for this and quite upset others. He could just remember waking his father on so many occasions due to a terror of the night, unable to explain what he had dreamed, feeling so stupid and thick- headed. . such a failure. . .  
  
With a rustling of blankets, Legolas slipped from the bed, noticing that he noticed the cold beneath his feet. This was a bad sign, but at least he noticed it, and at least his eyes remained open as he slept. Trying to push these ill sendings from his mind, Legolas padded softly down the corridor and up a flight of stairs. The darkness frightened him, although he pretended it did not; thoughts of orcs and spiders and other evil things darted out at him from the shadowy darkness, making him gasp and hurry along.  
  
Coming to a halt just before a door, Legolas considered. He might knock, but then, what if he had the wrong door? He was, after all, a guest in this household. Then, if he should be found loitering in the corridor, that might not look well either. He raised his hand and would have proceeded to knock, but something stopped him. Taking a turn of heart, the Elfling boy twisted the doorknob and the door opened. He slipped inside.  
  
"Elladan? Elladan? Is that you? Elladan?" The elder son of Elrond awoke to the sound of his name being frantically repeated in a strangled whisper. Confused, he looked around him, his eyes landing on the shaking figure of the young prince of Mirkwood. Sleep clouded his mind, and he asked the most obvious of questions. "What are you doing here, Legolas?"  
  
"I. . .I apologize. . .I was not certain. . .Forgive me, are you Elladan? It is difficult to keep you from being confused with your brother--"  
  
"Calm down, Legolas." The twin propped himself up on one elbow and regarded the younger Elf evenly. "Yes, I am Elladan. Is something wrong?"  
  
Legolas bit his lip and glanced around the room, looking everywhere but at Elladan. "I had a bad dream," he muttered, almost hoping Elladan would not hear him and feeling quite foolish.  
  
"Is that it?" Elladan asked. He pushed himself into sitting position and took Legolas's face in his hands. "No tears," he commented, "because you are a strong warrior." He noted that the younger boy could not help a slight smile at this. "Do you want to stay the night here?" he offered. Legolas's eyes lit up and he nodded vigorously, so Elladan scooted back and threw open the covers. He did not mind, really, sharing his bed for a night. Legolas was his good friend and scared, and how many nights had he and Elrohir run to one another for fear of dreamed circumstance? And poor Legolas was not even in his own home.  
  
As the prince crawled gratefully beneath the blankets, the two shifted and pulled straight the sheets, a tacit agreement of discomfort having been reached, until at last both were satisfied. For a moment they lay in silence, neither touching the other, each uncomfortably aware of the other. "Legolas?" Elladan asked quietly.  
  
"Yes?" Legolas replied in a whisper.  
  
"Is there anything you want to talk about? Your dream, or the seven weeks alone, or anything at all?"  
  
After Elladan had been so kind and understanding, Legolas did not want to say no to him. Instead he said nothing, remaining silent and feeling awful. Wordless thoughts wafted through his mind, self-accusing emotions. Tears were sliding down his cheeks before he knew they had been formed in the corners of his eyes.  
  
"Oh, Tick," Elladan said, seeing glistening droplets slither along his friend's face. He put his arms around Legolas and spoke softly, "No one understands at all, do they?" Hoping he was doing the right thing, Elladan rubbed Legolas's back as the prince buried his face in his friend's shoulder. For the most part Elladan promised nothing, and for this reason Legolas was able to cry on him for many minutes without feeling at all guilty or bad about himself, nor feeling worse as he often did.  
  
There was little time between Legolas's crying and the boys' falling asleep. Their quietude was broken only by a choice few soft-spoken words, which felt inappropriate somehow yet necessary. "You can always come to me, Legolas," Elladan whispered.  
  
"I did come to you, Elladan. Twice now," Legolas replied. It took Elladan a moment to realize what the prince meant by this. Then he was lulled to sleep by the deep, rhythmic breathing of his companion.  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Author's note: Legolas notices the darkness of the room when he wakes up. I know Elves sleep with their eyes open, but thought that they probably aren't aware of what is going on around them when they are sleeping.  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Yeah, there are a lot of stories in which Thranduil is a bad father. Although Legolas ran away from home, I elected not to portray Thranduil as a villain.  
  
Lomiothiel: Surely you would not want the whole story told? Why, that would ruin it completely! No, this way is much better, I think. When Lady Galadriel is angry. . .I don't know, she just seems to me the sort perfectly capable of scaring a boy out of his skin. 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
"Why did you run away from Mirkwood?"  
  
Legolas concentrated very hard on not answering this question. He did his best to recreate the comfort of last night, being warm and safe and knowing that he was wanted and loved. Aimlessly he ran his finger along his leg, forming random patterns: here a circle, there a loop and here a knotting diagram as best he could draw. The worst part was that he felt obligated to answer the question, and opened his mouth to do so, almost unwillingly, but could not find the words. He tried once more and willed himself not to cry.  
  
"Elrohir," Elrond said sharply. His younger son looked to him and he shook his head. "Leave him be." Elrohir opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and submitted. Legolas felt greatly relieved by this, though he dared not say so openly.  
  
"Would anybody like to hear a joke?" Legolas asked at last, thinking perhaps that this would lighten the mood of the somber and silent breakfast.  
  
"All right," Elrond replied when his sons were silent, unsure.  
  
"A--a duck walks into a tavern, and the duck asks, 'Do you have any duck food?' The tavern owner replies that there is no duck food, so the duck leaves. Then the next day the duck goes back to the tavern and asks, 'Do you have any duck food?' The tavern owner is getting annoyed, but he replies politely that he has no duck food and will not in the near future. The next day the duck returns to the tavern and asks again, 'Do you have any duck food?' The tavern owner replies angrily, 'No! And if you come back here and ask that question again, I will nail your feet to the floor!' The duck leaves. The next day he comes back and says 'Do you have any nails?' 'No,' the tavern owner says. 'In that case, do you have any duck food?'"  
  
Legolas's eyes looked around with a bright hope as he smiled feebly. Elladan burst out laughing, Elrohir chuckled quietly and even Elrond smiled. "That is very funny, Legolas," said Celebrían, who was always very kind and did find the joke amusing. Now Legolas's smile was true. He enjoyed making others happy. Feeling rather daring, if shy, Legolas launched into a second joke, this one concerning a badger, a bow and--yet again--a tavern.  
  
When the meal had finished, and Legolas's supply of jokes hardly dented, the participants of the conversation were left with happy, amused feelings. The heavy drops of rain hammer against the windows and drumming medleys on the roof could not dampen the spirits within. "How about a game of 'Animal, Vegetable, Mineral' then?" Elladan asked Legolas and Elrohir.  
  
"That sounds fun," Legolas agreed.  
  
"Or you might spend your time productively studying," Elrond joked, which was met with loud protests from the twins.  
  
"Or I might teach one of you to sew, then you would be able to mend your own tunics," Celebrían added, a jest she had not stopped making, although the twins had stopped tearing their tunics often. There were mishaps, of course, but these were rare, as Elrohir observed in his protesting, "We do not do that anymore, Nana!"  
  
"Well then you can hold the yarn while I knit," Celebrían retorted, and Elrohir's eyes grew wide in mock fear.  
  
"I'll hold your yarn for you," Legolas said quietly.  
  
"It was a joke, Legolas, just like the duck," Elrohir said in a gentle tone, not to embarrass his friend.  
  
"But I will," Legolas persisted.  
  
"That is all right, dear, you will surely further enjoy spending time with the boys. But no roughhousing," she added with a knowing glance at her sons, who smiled angelically. Seeing Legolas's distraught and confused expression, she added quickly, "Perhaps you will help me with my knitting another time, young prince?"  
  
"I would like that," Legolas mumbled. When no one could think of another comment to make and the silence bordered uncomfortable, Legolas asked Elladan, "Shall we go and play, then? With your permission, of course," he added quickly to Elrond and Celebrían, remembering late to ask permission before leaving the table.  
  
"Of course," said Celebrían with a smile, "enjoy yourselves."  
  
"We will," the boys chorused, trooping out of the room.  
  
"Elrohir?" Elrond called, pausing his youngest son at the door. "A word with you?" The Elven lord joined his son by the door and nudged him out into the corridor, the two of them moving away from the other boys, who paused for a moment, but with a nod were sent scurrying along. "Elrohir will be along in a moment," Elrond promised them. Then, to Elrohir, "Do not press matters with Legolas, not just yet."  
  
"I am sorry, Ada, but we do wonder," Elrohir replied, "but I will leave him be, as you request."  
  
"I wonder, also," Elrond admitted. "At the moment, Legolas is faring badly. When he is more comfortable here, which will with any hope and luck be before his father arrives, then we may ask him further questions. Until then, it only matters that we keep him here, where he is safe. It is fortunate he arrived here unharmed."  
  
"I understand," Elrohir replied. "And I will leave him alone, Ada, and look after him, though he has Elladan for that."  
  
"Never can too many stars shine on one Elf. Remember that, Elrohir."  
  
"Never shall I forget," Elrohir promised.  
  
"Good. Now run along; I believe your brother is waiting."  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Legolas thinks of it as the Change, but he is. . .well, you will see.  
  
Cherryfaerie: The twins are fifteen in mortal years and Legolas thirteen.  
  
Wynjara: His nightmares. . .extensions of his troubled mind. 


	6. Seeking

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
"Animal." Legolas sat cross-legged on Elladan's bed, across from the aforementioned twin, and began their game thusly. Elrohir had yet to return from his discussion with his father, and the others thought he would not be offended by their beginning a game without him.  
  
Elladan smiled, and replied, "A duck." Legolas blushed and nodded, for he had chosen a duck, just as in the joke with which he had brought colour to their meal earlier. "All right, then it is my turn to think up something and yours to guess, and I choose a vegetable!"  
  
"Is it. . .does it grow in the ground?" Legolas began his questioning, for vegetable, as the twins and Legolas played the game, might be any plant.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does one eat it?"  
  
"An unfair question," protested Elladan, "for one being myself or you eats not the same plants as one being a snake or crows."  
  
"You are a snake," Legolas replied, "slippery and trickerous."  
  
"Trickerous?" Elladan inquired skeptically.  
  
"Yes, trickerous," said Legolas with mock pride.  
  
"All right, creative one, if I am a snake then I suppose a snake might eat this vegetable!"  
  
"And is it a vegetable we have a secret laugh concerning?"  
  
"Aye, it is, it is!"  
  
"Then as you are trickerous it is an apple!"  
  
"Aye! 'Tis an apple!" After this exchanged, which was quick, each phrase a volley of words, the boys fell backwards laughing. "'Tis an apple," continued Elladan through laughs, "'tis, as you are!"  
  
"Hush, trickerous snake," Legolas replied indignantly.  
  
"Then do you deny it, Legolas, are you not?" Elladan propped himself up on his elbows and stared his friend back to laughter.  
  
"Aye, but I am!"  
  
"Then do not grudge my saying so, fool!"  
  
"Noldo," replied Legolas.  
  
"Sindar," replied Elladan, and they laughed again. Legolas pushed his thumb beneath his teeth and bit it at Elladan. "Hah! You insult me? Your father is a hamster and your mother smells of elderberries!" Elladan shot back, and though not by his intention his arrows struck with poison, and Legolas hurled a pillow at Elladan rather harder than was necessary. "I apologize, Legolas," Elladan replied, sobered by his friend's anger.  
  
"Well. . ." Elladan had apologized and Legolas knew it would be rude of him to hold on to his anger after an apology, and a true one, was voiced, yet he was unready to forgive. Luckily Elrohir saved him a difficult decision.  
  
"Is this a bad time?" asked Elrohir, who had entered and now stood awkwardly in the doorway.  
  
"No," replied Legolas, not wishing to draw Elrohir into this, "a fine time. Elladan and I were just wondering if, when you returned, you would like to play 'seek'. Indoors, of course," he added, with a glance at the window, onto which rain drummed heavily.  
  
"All right," Elrohir replied. "Who is seeker first?"  
  
"You are," Elladan replied, springing from his bed. "Safe base is the bed, and limit on it is two minutes." 'Seek' was a game of hunter and prey: in this instance, Elladan and Legolas would hide while Elrohir counted to fifty, then Elrohir would try to find them before they reached the bed--the safe base. After two minutes at the safe base, they had to leave once more-- this made the game more interesting. One rounded ended when Elrohir entered Elladan's room to find both Elladan and Legolas at safe, or when he caught one of them running or found them hiding. "No hiding in the room; other than that, any and all indoor areas are potential hiding spaces."  
  
Elrohir nodded, then no one made a move. "One," Elrohir said at last, his one word heavy with meaning, and Legolas and Elladan were from the room as an arrow from a taut bowstring flies.  
  
So many hours passed, quite interesting for Legolas, who learned more about the insides of his friends' home than he remembered from his last visit, many years ago. Although, more often than not, Legolas found himself seeker, for the twins knew more of the nooks, crannies and roundabout passings than Legolas. As a tacit rule they kept away from Elrond's study, for this game was enjoyable and noisy, and none was sure if their calls and laughs would constitute noise enough for an "outdoors only" game.  
  
Although there was one incident concerning Erestor, for ever dubbed "the Erestor incident", which would be laughed on for many years to come. It happened as Elladan chased after Legolas, nearly catching him by vaulting the stair-rail. Legolas, seeing Erestor ahead of him, caught onto a doorknob and skidded to a halt, then dashed through the door and found himself in a closet. Elladan had lacked this foresight, or sight at all, for bent on catching his friend he had not until it was too late seen Erestor. Erestor, too, had been distracted, muttering to himself as he reviewed one of the many papers in his hands. Elladan tried to avoid Erestor, truly, but unable to stop himself crashed right into the elder Elf.  
  
Amid the flurry of papers and entangled Elves, Legolas slipped out of his closet and raced back to Elladan's room, where he recounted the incident (which he had viewed through the keyhole) to Elrohir. Elladan found the two nearly laughing themselves sick and whacked them both round the head with pillows, which caused more laughter. "Laugh all you like," Elladan said, "but I have thought of a hiding place where you will never find me."  
  
"When will you be using this?" asked Elrohir. "You have got to catch one of us first, and stalking is against the rules." 'Stalker' meant hovering just outside the door to the safe base and awaiting the exit of one's prey.  
  
"Very well," replied Elladan, his cocky air undaunted, and crouched just around the corner. When Elrohir next sought a hiding place, his twin leapt from the shadows and bowled him down, grinning from ear to ear. "Now we shall see who hides best!" he cried.  
  
"See so after midday," replied Celebrían, who had come across the twins and was greatly amused by them. "Do either of you know where Legolas is?" The twins glanced at each other. "Very well then. Find him, and bring him to the meal."  
  
And because Legolas had thought to hide where he thought Elladan would likely not look, it took only minutes for Elladan to find him. "Just like the joke, princeling," Elladan explained as he helped Legolas out of the closet. "It seems you are the duck."  
  
*****  
  
To be continued (not much angst that chapter but much angst coming soon)  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Obviously, he suffers the inability to tell a good joke. Just kidding. Actually I quite like that joke. I told it to a boy in homeroom and for a week during roll call he said "Got any duck food?" instead of saying "Here."  
  
Deana: Nope, but I love telling it!  
  
Styar: Maybe, I hardly see why it matters. I didn't mean for him to be, in this story. It makes no difference, though, one way or the other.  
  
Volcanic Plug: No particular reason, simply personality matrices. Hah, but if you think that's the only twist I have up my sleeve. . .(*checks shirt*). . .like I was saying, if you think that's the only twist I have in my sock (for lack of sleeves), you too will be pleasantly surprised! He was traveling for four weeks and three days, seventeen days after losing his bow.  
  
Thanks everyone who reviewed, I love hearing from you all! 


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any recognizable characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's note: This one's short, but hey, better than nothing. I realized I really had not updated this in a long time. . .so here you all go! So sorry for the wait!  
  
*****  
  
"Legolas, might I have a word with you in private?"  
  
Legolas's smile faded from his eyes. His cheeks reddened and he lowered his gaze to his lap. Suddenly his fingertips became very interesting. Biting back tears, the little princeling nodded. Sometimes, he knew, there were some things one had to do: things that were very difficult and frightening, and seemed only half a step away from impossible. Sometimes it seemed the best answer would be running and hiding, trying to sleep and pretend the problem did not exist, but it would not vanish. The only true solution was to face up to the problem, admit to it and conquer it. Rarely were things as awful as they seemed.  
  
This did nothing to decrease Legolas's fear and apprehension.  
  
Elrond hated doing this to the boy. Any one could see that he was frightened. But soon as Thranduil came and Legolas returned to Mirkwood, the chance would be gone: what ever the problem was, it was clearly not being resolved at home. Something had to be done about it, before that time came. Fears did not disappear but were chased away with torchlight to the shadows.  
  
Nearly two months had passed since Legolas's odd arrival, months marked by the commotion of rowdy, youthful boys. Perhaps one hundred times the twins had said, "This is our friend Legolas, from Mirkwood." Equally many times had they raced and wrestled, proving Lady Celebrían quite right about their tunics. She only gloated a little. Imladris found itself amused at the endless game of 'seek', 'Animal, vegetable, mineral', and 'predator-prey', the latter played only when the sun shone, which was rare. Such was the friendship of the three boys that not a hint of boredom nor cabin fever had touched their young minds.  
  
Legolas had not stopped trying to assist Lady Celebrían with her sewing and knitting, especially not since she had mended his tunic. As Legolas had only the clothes he had arrived in, Elladan and Elrohir found some old things of theirs about the prince's size. When his own clothing was unwearable, though Legolas had taken the tunic off once and again, he was greatly saddened, and asked if he could not help with repairs. "I wish to learn," he admitted once. "I used to watch my nana knit and it seemed like magic." This had been Legolas's sole mention of his mother, or his home at all.  
  
But Legolas had grown comfortable in Imladris, though still shy he was far less reserved than he had been at first. "Amazing," Celebrían had commented to Elrond that morning, as in a cloudy but rainless moment the boys wrestled and chased each other outside, "how resilient children are." Said quality seemed to apply both positively and negatively, as Legolas displayed as he drew within himself seconds after the question was asked. Breaking is so tragically simpler than fixing.  
  
Having not stopped his nervous chatter and not-quite risible jokes, Legolas seemed unable to stop smiling throughout supper, even when his jokes caused the others to groan he laughed. Now, his smile seemed to be recalled back to some hidden place in his heart or distant in his mind. Had anyone entered the room just then, their guess would not have been that Legolas had been joking only moments before. In fact, they might not have believed it.  
  
Downcast, Legolas kept his eyes on the floor as he shuffled out of the room after Elrond. "Tick," Elladan whispered, grabbing his friend's wrist. Legolas startled and faced the elder twin. "It will be all right. I promise." Then he released his friend's wrist. The prince continued on silently, nodding only to his friend and swallow tears. Elladan felt his own tears rising. "Ada, nai túllon?" he asked. "An nin mellon?"  
  
Elrond regarded his son for a moment, saw that Elladan's intentions were clear, then nodded. "It is Legolas's decision."  
  
"Do you want me with you, Tick?" Elladan asked. Legolas slid his bottom lip beneath his top row of teeth. "It's all right, Tick, if you want to be alone, I understand." The prince smiled sadly, then cautiously extended his hand. Elladan raised his own hand and slide his palm against Legolas's, who twisted to twine their fingers together.  
  
*****  
  
Ada, nai túllon? An nin mellon?: Dad, may I come? For my friend? (it's a little Sindarin, but mostly Quenya. I know I shouldn't mix the two, but I'm not great on Elvish, so bear with me)  
  
Wynjara: Hm. . .*thinks of Marshall High*. . .yeah, that would be fun! We used to play Hide-and-Seek in elementary school, which how I learned to hide (a skill used a lot in later years), and I remember hiding in the hollows under the stairs and by scrambling up a hill covered with trees and flowering bushes. The problem with the hollows is, they have only one way out. Heh, yeah, it's a great game. . .  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Hey, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is set in a time not completely dissimilar to Middle-earth. . .besides, it really mattered that a certain type of joke be used, and the modern type wouldn't have fit. Heh, and for that exact reason you shall have to wait another chapter to learn what it is!  
  
Volcanic plug: Might it be 'hide and seek'? That's what Seek is, in essence. Actually, it's 'hide and seek tag'. You might not call it that. Importantness sounds like a real word! Did you know that William Shakespeare invented over one hundred words? Apple is actually a joke my friends and I have. . .which Elladan and Legolas also have, of course. Socks! We hates them, Preciousss. . .whoops! Been watching 'Two Towers' a bit to much, I think. Yes, there are more twists, but they are PLOT twists, and only hidden in my socks. 


	8. Admit

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's note: I don't know for certain if Legolas has any siblings, but I recall something about him being the youngest child of Thranduil, so he does refer to brothers. Just let me know if this is wrong and I will correct it.  
  
*****  
  
The rain had stopped. This Legolas noticed as he and Elladan entered Elrond's study--the windows stood open, not pounded by falling droplets. For a moment the Elven Princling stood, forgetting himself, his mind wandering through the open window and out over Mirkwood, where his ada and nana must be furious with him for running away. None of his brothers would ever do such a thing!  
  
Unbeknownst to him Elladan approached, and gently he touched his friend's shoulder. With a start Legolas realized where he was and turned to face Elladan. "Let's sit by the fire," Elladan said, motioning. Though he knew not why, the prince followed his friend and they positioned themselves before the flames. Elrond himself positioned a chair not far back from the boys, who had simply plunked themselves down on the floor.  
  
"Well, Legolas, I suppose you know what this is about," Elrond began. It occurred to Legolas that, amidst the popping and crackling of the fire, Elrond's tones and the inflections in his speech were strange, but also comforting. "I am afraid I must ask you flatly, and I hope you will answer me: why have you run away from home?"  
  
Now Legolas saw why Elladan had chosen to sit beside the fire: speaking was so much easier when one was speaking not to a person, not to an entity, but to the flames, ever changing and moving, dancing almost. . .hypnotic. "It was a silly thing, really," Legolas replied, ignoring the truth serum of the sleep-inducing flames.  
  
"Nevertheless, I must know," Elrond persisted, not unkindly.  
  
Legolas reflected for a moment, ignored or perhaps forgot present company to soar over the mountains and home again, to his father the Elvenking Thranduil's Halls, where certainly he was missed, certainly the young prince was worried for. Remembering the state of the home he left behind, however, and the reasons for his leaving, Legolas found himself trembling, and he tucked his knees beneath his chin, wrapping his arms around himself allowed the flames to engulf him completely, in mind if not in body, and as he spirit was consumed he forgot himself completely, and the princling wept.  
  
Elladan, sitting beside, watched his friend intently, though neglected to interfere for much time. When Elrond insisted upon hearing Legolas's tale, Elladan neglected to protect his friend, realizing that, come sooner or later, there would be a day when Legolas would need defend himself. Every Elf may learn to stand on his own two feet. But when silent tears snaked their way down the prince's cheeks, Elladan moved to him.  
  
"Come on, Tick, it's all right. Don't cry, Tick, it's all right," Elladan promised, holding his small friend comfortingly. Legolas swallowed a whimper, ashamed of himself, and stopped his tears, though he felt them, many of them, itching to squeeze out of his eyes. He denied them. "You do not have to answer, Tick, not if you do not want to," Elladan promised.  
  
"My parents were angry with me," Legolas said, as though he had not begun to cry, although his cheeks burned red with shame and Elladan felt the heat emanating from his friend, surely Legolas himself was in a state of great discomfort. Choking on a sob, Legolas continued, "My father. . .always looked at me so sadly, I knew he felt great disappointment with me. My mother. . .mother--" He broke off and half-coughed, half-sobbed, then went on, "she would not even see me. I asked after her. . .no one knew where she was. . .no one seemed willing to tell me, at the least. . .I could not do it, sir," Legolas said, suddenly placing his words together with certainty as he spun to face Lord Elrond, throwing off Elladan's embrace and rising to his knees. "I could not live as an exile in my own home."  
  
Elrond looked upon the boy not with anger nor compassion either, but with pity, a great rolling pity within him which caused him to pause before speaking, allowing the prince time enough to gather his wits that when next words were spoken, they were said not by Elrond himself but by Legolas. "There now, you have my reasoning," he stated, "you understand, I hope, that the Elvenking's Halls cannot be home to me, that I am unwelcome there. I do not know what it is I have done wrong, but it seems I am beyond repentance, for though I asked after Nana she would not see me again." Here Legolas rose, stood up straight (admittedly, still he was very small), and proclaimed thusly: "I take my leave of you, good lords, and you may trust never to see me again." And punctually he began to cross the room to leave it.  
  
"Legolas," Elrond called after him, "if you would return but a moment?" Perhaps because it was his nature and perhaps because Elrond's voice held again neither pity nor command, Legolas stopped, then turned, and returned. Standing before the Elven Lord, he set his mouth in a straight line and focused his eyes straight ahead and without emotion. Elrond stood, but the difference in height was painful. Elladan, who had retreated to a corner of the room to watch the situation, felt his mind forming a question as Elrond lowered himself to one knee before the prince, not towering over him but equaling their heights.  
  
"Legolas, please listen to what I have to say to you now; it is very important," Elrond said, at last his voice betraying him: pity, an unusual understanding. "Your parents are not angry with you," he began, and the words he next spoke so shocked the prince that his eyes opened wide and momentarily filled with tears, then he shook his head and fled the room.  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Thranduil isn't a bad father at all, I know the picture I paint of him is imperfect but. . .well, just wait until he comes in and speaks for himself.  
  
Nikki: Legolas only meant that he needed to go somewhere, and he could not go to Lothlorien because Galadriel frightened him. As for his father beating him, no, that's not something an Elf would ever do to a child. Authors who like that sort of thing are free to write it: I, however, completely oppose the idea of an Elf abusing a child. They aren't perfect, but they do abhor violence.  
  
Volcanic Plug: Sardines. . .yes! I remember that game! When you hide where you find someone! But it was hard for me to play, never having friends and all. Sure everyone knows how it goes, though! Hah, I've only got three semesters P.E. left to take, and for one I'm taking dance. "Dancing for Recreation" it's called, six weeks in the winter. Intersession is so wonderful. Are you on year-round? That's an interesting idea, but where does it say his mum left for the Grey Havens? I researched it and found nothing. . .drat it! Ah, well. Celebrían may have a part to play yet. . .one never does know! (no kidding: even I am not certain! Those darn twists sometimes don't come out of my socks until the middle of History class!)  
  
Pippin the Hobbit-Elf: Actually, my friend Duncan taught me Animal, Vegetable, Mineral and far as I can see it's similar to Twenty Questions, except the categories are "animal", "vegetable", and "mineral" instead of "person", "place", or "thing." By the way, my parents always say that when the married, they could live in California and have sun nine months a year or live in England and have rain nine months a year. Your comment just reminded me of that. (it's actually more like sun eleven months and bloody great winds)  
  
I now I've left you all at a cliff-hanger, but finals are starting soon, so though I shall do my best to update, it might not be until the week of Christmas (25 December, for anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas). Your patience is appreciated! 


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
Legolas ran. He ran out of doors as fast as he could, feeling as though ever wall tried to close in on him and smother him with terrible lies. Lies. . .Elrond had lied. What other possible explanation could there be? His words could not be true, it simply was not possible!  
  
Grass stalks bent but did not break beneath his feet. Squelching noises followed the raise of one appendage or the other, the growth being still wet from the earlier rains, and the mud so soft any but an Elf would have needed take time to step out of it. But the air was fresh and that was pleasant, a musty after-rain smell hanging in the atmosphere. Unnaturally clear showed the sky, without clouds, again a gift of the rain.  
  
Reaching the gardens Legolas stopped, deemed them unsuitable for his purposes and veered away from them. There grew a copse of trees, feral enough, suitable. For these he ran, finding peace in having a destination. Sprinting, fearing being spotted, Legolas focused solely on the trees, and on how good it felt to simply run, to stretch his legs and bound for all he was worth.  
  
"Legolas!" Turning at the sound of his name, Legolas saw Elrond, a distance farther than he'd suspected himself of running. Not thinking, Legolas plunged onward into the trees. Eyes over his shoulder, the boy hardly realized where he was until his foot caught beneath a root and, for all his Elven grace, he sprawled face-down in the mud.  
  
"Legolas?" This was not Elrond, but a higher-pitched, more frantic call. Elladan? "Legolas, please come back!" Elladan shouted from the doorway, having paused beside his father, then pushed out into the night and ran after his friend, not sure where to search first. "Where are you Legolas?" Elladan called, not so loudly or frantically as before. Then, in a whisper which, because Elladan had paused quite near the trees, Legolas heard, Elladan whispered, "Where are you, Tick?"  
  
Crouched among undergrowth, Legolas watched his friend through the leaves of a short fern. With one hand he clutched his ankle, having jarred the joint badly in his fall. I cannot go out there, he thought, I cannot go back. It is time for me to move on; I cannot linger here.  
  
Elladan, meanwhile, knew not where to go. Clouds had come and shifted over the moon, and though a skilled tracker Elladan did not so much as hope to catch an Elf. So in the dark, without motive, Elladan stood, his hands dangling at his side, his eyes alert though for what he himself knew not. For many moments Elrond watched this play of pains from the doorway to his home, then stepped forward and deliberately crossed the grass to stand beside his son. "Elladan, come inside. Legolas accept some things for himself; some times you can not stand beside him. Now is one of those times."  
  
For a moment the silence was broken only by crickets playing, then Elladan said, "In a moment, Ada." And before Elrond could reply Elladan cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "I cannot stay out here all night, Legolas, but before I go inside I just want to let you know that I love you, and that we all care for you, and I'm sorry for what Ada said because you were not ready to hear it! Please come back inside and we can talk things through! And please do not leave Imladris quite yet, because too many people who care about you expect you to be here, and we want to help you! If this means leaving you alone we will do so but please stay here where you are safe! Please--!"  
  
Elladan's voice cracked. Wiping tears from his eyes, he turned away from the trees where Legolas hid and away from his father and ran back indoors, pushing past his mother and his brother and slamming the door to his room. In the corridor, Celebrían turned to Elrond and asked, "Is Elladan all right? Perhaps you ought to go and speak with him." To which Elrond nodded.  
  
"He is upset, I think, over Legolas's reactions. Of course I will speak to him." Elrond turned, only to be faced with his second son. Elrohir stared at his father, beseeching him to make everything right, to change things, and suddenly Elrond realized that in Elrohir's mind, the all too obvious ties between this night and one long ago had been clear all along. Elrohir was reliving his past, and who could guess how he recalled the night, but he of course had not forgotten. "Oh, Elrohir." Elrond held his son for a moment, wishing he could offer any more protection than merely this. Elrohir only stood stiffly, trying not to shiver with fright. "You are safe, Elrohir, everyone is safe," Elrond promised, for though he could not be certain, he doubted that Legolas would leave Imladris. "Will you stay with your mother now, while I speak to Elladan?"  
  
"Yes," Elrohir answered, shot across the corridor to his mother, who at once wrapped an arm around his shoulders.  
  
"Celebrían. . ." Elrond paused. He needed not tell her to look after Elrohir.  
  
"I will, dear," Celebrían answered his unspoken question. "And Legolas also, when he returns."  
  
Elrond smiled and nodded. "When he returns," he replied. "Whatever would I do without you?"  
  
"Starve, freeze, never wash?" Celebrían joked. "Now go on, Elladan needs you far more than I."  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Author's note: Terrible as this is, the story behind Elrohir's actions will be posted in a little while, probably over break. He acts like a child because of a recollected memory; I'll explain more clearly in later chapters.  
  
Daw the Minstrel: Actually, I'm surprised no one has yet realized where the name comes from.  
  
Volcanic Plug: That means you aren't on year-round. It's a system in which school is constantly in session. There are three tracks, A, B, and C. I am on A, which means that I am in school from the end of August to the middle of December, then from the beginning of March to late June. That's the gist of it. It's used because our schools are overcrowded. I know all, at least in my story. Well, this story. History's awesome! I have it every day, and it's very. . .interactive. Today I said, "Good morning, and isn't it a wonderful day to be alive?" and my teacher stared at me, and said that my happiness through her world out of whack and it would be her job to fix the universe and depress me. We joke about this often, me leaving her class feeling depressed. If you really want to bother me, there's always e-mail.  
  
Aelan Turner: Yes, dear, yes you can.  
  
Katrose: I don't think that's exactly fair to say. Their being Elves, they would be somewhat different, also thrust into such a situation they would probably act differently than your average Joe Fifteen.  
  
Nikki: Elrond knows exactly what is going on. 


	10. Cry

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's note: I saw Return of the King! Ah! Such happiness! It's brilliant! Now, on with the story. . .  
  
*****  
  
"Do you want to talk about it, Elladan?"  
  
The Elfling had thrown himself onto his bed, and lay shuddering with sobs, his face buried in his arms. Only the points of his ears protruded from his splayed raven locks and braids, fallen at random. Because of the rain earlier, Elladan had not worn his hair in one long plait but freely, controlled by small braids which had fallen loose through the course of the day. Now he was thankful: under his protective curtain he felt safer.  
  
"No," Elladan mumbled, imagining he heard the soft plunking of a tear falling to the pillow beneath his arms. Because his father did not leave at this, but merely commented that this was fine, but perhaps Elladan would rather have some company in his misery, Elladan bit back a whimper and debated telling the truth.  
  
Elrond sat on his son's bed, wishing he could do something more, comfort Elladan in a more sufficient manner. Allowing children to grow was a necessity Elrond strongly believed in observing: always being there when they fell was of equal matter. Elladan never had been as easy or willing as his brother, always more difficult to read, and though now Elrond suspected what was wrong, he could not be certain.  
  
"Why am I such a failure?" Elladan asked at once, flinging himself into a sitting position, his arms propping him up. He leveled his eyes with his father's, and despite Elladan's red cheeks, flame-rimmed eyes and tear- stain face Elrond thought his son both innocent and beautiful, one hand in hand with the other.  
  
"Oh, Elladan. . ."  
  
Elrond reached out to caress his son's cheek, a loving and comforting gesture, but Elladan drew away. "No. Everything I touch crumbles in my hands. I've failed everyone, Father! First I failed Aríon, then I failed Glorfindel and Elrohir and you and Mother, and now I have failed Legolas! What do I do wrong?"  
  
Things long past needed not be dredged up. Elladan, however, had a mind like a spider's web: what it caught, it did not release. Memories chewed at him from long ago, friends long lost stayed with him but not as allies. However, the more recent of his so-called failures had occurred only one half-year ago, and no wonder Elladan had been so hurt by it: his seeming resilience had surprised Elrond. Here was the explanation, a simple lie.  
  
"You have failed no one, Elladan. Your heart tells you what you must do. Elrohir would never begrudge you anything: would you begrudge him? Your mother and I may not agree with your every choice, but know that we love you unconditionally, Elladan. There is not a thing you have done which may not be construed, from one view or another, as good."  
  
As soon as he said this Elrond recalled his son's first meeting with the Prince of Mirkwood, but he shoved that thought away, for Elladan had long undone the ill results of those actions. "For Legolas you may do only so much. He must heal himself."  
  
With fear did Elladan look into his father's eyes then. "He cannot!" Though he had faith in his friend, Elladan did not think Legolas strong enough to face a demon alone.  
  
"Aye, he can," Elrond answered. "Sometimes we walk a dangerous road, and when peril is great, so is our strength, great beyond knowledge or measure. So will Legolas triumph."  
  
Elladan found that tears welled in the corners of his eyes and fell heavily from them, but the tears were not from his control, merely as the few drops which remain upon the roof and drip steadily down after the rains have ended.  
  
Legolas clutched his elbow where the thorn had scratched him deeply. His golden head was adorned with leaves, and an incision on his cheek oozed blood. Feral was his appearance, but for his eyes, gentle and sad. With a feeling of heaviness he turned from the window and stole away. The ugliness of his memories threatened to overflow, but he was unsafe and the environment not friendly, so he did not allow himself to be overcome.  
  
Though he knew not what he intended, Legolas re-entered the house of Elrond in silence, hoping not to disturb anyone. Almost at once he was seen.  
  
"Legolas Greenleaf! There you are, child, you had us worried," said Lady Celebrían, approaching the boy. "Come; I will clean your wounds lest they become infected."  
  
Trusting her, Legolas followed the lady in silence. She led him to the bedchamber in which he had slept for the past months, and there had been set water and cloth for cleaning and bandaging injuries. So I have been expected, Legolas thought, feeling that he was something of an imposition. A blush crept onto his cheeks, shame at his behaviour.  
  
"Sit down on the bed, no need to stand there so formally," Celebrían commented. Legolas obeyed, and the woman first drew the twigs and leaves from his hair, then wet a cloth with water and, with all the tenderness of a loving mother, cleaned the dirt from the area of the wound on Legolas' cheek, though it was little more than a scratch.  
  
"I did not know you were also a healer," Legolas commented, meaning not disrespect but some wonder.  
  
Celebrían smiled. "Yes, you might say this. My mother taught me some, and Lord Elrond also: one cannot live with a man who has passion and not learn the facts of his trade." Around her Legolas visibly relaxed, hardly noticing when she took his arm and began cleaning the incision at the elbow. On his cheek she left no bandage, for the cut was shallow and healed quickly, but his arm had been cut deeply, and Celebrían wrapped clean linen around the area.  
  
"You write with your left hand, do you not?"  
  
"Aye, Lady, and with that arm I shoot," he said, and realized with a start that he had not held a bow in nearly three months. What sort of warrior was he? Legolas's heart sank with guilt. "But there is some use in my right hand, also, for unsteady writing."  
  
"Then we will practice until your writing is not unsteady, for I do believe your left arm is injured more severely than a scratch. Fear not; in time it will be as good as new."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Thank you, Lady. I know my behaviour of late has been abominable, not all of Mirkwood behaves in this manner."  
  
Celebrían waved this away. "Think nothing of it. You are welcome here, Legolas, and your ills are respected. My family and I understand that you are going through a difficult time." She watched him closely and wondered how he would respond to this: Legolas swallowed hard and nodded.  
  
"Lord Elrond. . .what he said to me. . .I know it is true," Legolas choked. Tears welled again, and a sob in his throat rose. Against his will, droplets of salty water slipped down his cheeks. Blinking to rid himself of these and rubbing them away with the backs of his wrists and the heels of his hands, alternately, Legolas apologized, "You have had enough of tears tonight, Lady, forgive me mine; they will not flow free."  
  
"Oh, Legolas." Celebrían knelt at eye level with the sitting boy, and meeting his gaze said to him, "My sons cry for fear and for anger. They do not cry as you do, for sorrow. Your tears are as warranted as theirs and as safe here. You cry if you need to, certainly do not stay your tears for my sake."  
  
Again nodding, Legolas broke into sobs. Though uncertain, after a moment Celebrían held him, and for this he was thankful and felt very much loved. "I remember riding through the woods. . .I remember, I came around one particularly thick tree to see my mother, expecting her to be merry as so oft she was. . .but when at last I found her, she was not merry but at the mercy of beasts. Though I fought them they were many, and I was overcome. . .they held me, forced me to watch. I. . .I will not say what was done to her, but there she was, and then. . .she was fighting. . .and they opened her, and they forced me to watch her bleed, then before she was dead, while she was watching they said they would--they said--"  
  
Here he broke off, his sobs too intense to bear, and shook heavily, and for all his efforts the prince's cries were loud. Celebrían knew much for all her appearance of naïveté, so understood the ways of tears. She knew that the like as Legolas cried now in intensity shivered with a coldness through the entire body, shaking the heart and the very soul. She understood that Legolas would be ashamed of his tears, that anyone who teased him would suffer her wrath, and that in spite of his shame he would be much freer for them.  
  
When at last Legolas stopped crying, he had fallen asleep. Gently Celebrían placed him beneath the blanket, then put out the light and left the room.  
  
In the corridor she encountered her husband. "Elladan is well?" she asked him.  
  
"He is very upset, but he is well, yes," Elrond responded. "Elrohir? And Legolas? They are well, also?"  
  
Celebrían smiled. "Elrohir is fine. He needed only to be petted a bit and told that all was well, surely when he wakes tomorrow and sees Legolas safe he will awaken from his memory-dream. As for Legolas, no, he is not well. He is healing, Elrond. His heart aches for his mother."  
  
"He knows?"  
  
The woman lowered her eyes, and nodded. "Did you know, Elrond, that he saw it happen?"  
  
Elrond drew in breath sharply. He had not known, but understood much now that he did. "He has spoken to you of this?"  
  
"A little. He has much to say, Elrond. Until his father arrives, we will be there for him," she told him, then, "And perhaps Thranduil, too, would benefit discussing his grief. Then he may waken from his stupor and be there for his son."  
  
"Peace, Celebrían," Elrond warned. "You speak as a mother. Remember our place in this matter! We are neither his kin nor his advisors."  
  
Celebrían smiled. "I only wish I could do something more. The world might be a better place, I think, if we could all do this something more for the ones we love."  
  
Elrond replied with an old saying, "We only hurt the ones we love."  
  
"In this way Legolas has been hurt by his mother, I think, and Thranduil and Legolas have spar-wounds to kill a warg. We may not instruct, Elrond, but it is mine thought that we may yet intervene. This is what friends do."  
  
Elrond raised an eyebrow to this. Mirkwood and Imladris may have been allies, but Thranduil and Elrond fell somewhat short of being 'friends.' "We are friends, my lady?"  
  
Celebrían smiled. "We are friends, my lord," she replied.  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
Kit Cloudkicker: Yeah, most people use the two and a half year measure, it doesn't seem right to me, though, because (to my knowledge) Tolkien never said if one period passed swifter than another or what measure of Men was adult. Also, it is fifty to one hundred years, not a given limit. For this reason, I don't use two and a half years as a measure but term it is a human.  
  
Aelan Turner: 22 December to 8 March, that's A track winter break. I don't know about Canada, but LAUSD uses the track system for overcrowded schools. I'm in grade nine in California, the crazy state.  
  
Farflung: Lucky you, getting a winter season! We have nippy mornings, but no snow or rain, not even a decent drizzle. I think Elves must be tough, as must everyone in Middle-earth: humans are soft now because they are prey with predators removed; but this is a rant for another place and time. Thranduil will be in the story soon enough--he's a good parent but not a perfect person. You will see. The jokes are actually, well, that's something I do often, tell awful jokes. Eventually the angst may end, but that end is not within my sight! Celebrían is an interesting character; there is little of her in the books so I have taken to creating my own character: loving, knowledgeable, and merry, but with the appearance of naivete, though this is a falsity. She is, after all, her mother's daughter, and Galadriel was a sharp woman. Ooh, long reply there. The important bit: it was great hearing from you and I'm so glad you like my story!  
  
Pippin the Hobbit-elf: I can give you the rules for twenty questions if you like. As you've seen she's not pregnant: far from it. Interesting guess, though. Being the youngest, I can't remember any family births. I've seen the film: it's awesome! No spoilers, but bring tissue. It's incredible and. . .stunning. . .wonderful. . .tragic. . .all that good stuff! 


	11. Heal

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof

Author's note: anything in italics is a memory.

*****

__

Legolas struggled, wrenching his body this way and that, but the hands on his shoulders held firm. The stench overwhelmed him, the foul smell like rotting meat, associated with the disgusting creatures ringing around him, so like the one who gripped him from behind.

The elven princling quietly moved, setting one foot before the other as he made his way down the corridor. There were no windows here, but the door at the northern end of the hall lead outside, and this had been propped open. Sunlight streamed in, the first pure sunlight in many days. Birds twittered and sang, and Elladan and Elrohir had disappeared down to the river to catch frogs.

__

His braids slowly unraveled as he threw his head about, his teeth gritted in rage. Angry tears streaked his cheeks. This is unfair, unjust! He wished to cry out but did not, confining his terror. 

Laughing cruelly, the creature who held the beautiful woman ripped her gown open. Legolas fought harder against his captor and his tears. He knew her well: her smiling face, her hair in two thick brown braids as she often wore it, the graceful curves of her: her hands, her neck, the bones in her cheeks. Now he saw another part of her, a place he had no right to see, and for her dignity he closed his eyes.

Elladan and Elrohir invited Legolas to accompany them to the river, but he declined. The twins planned to catch the frogs in glass jars and observe them for a time before releasing them into the wild. "I need a day to rest," Legolas told them, but he truly meant that he had something else to do, and that he would not be in Imladris long enough to release his frogs. Soon enough, he would be going home.

There was just one thing he needed to complete before his father, or whomever his father sent, arrived, a thing he could not do alone.

__

A sharp blow to the side of his skull caused Legolas to open his eyes. "And you can watch 'er, boy! Just so's you know what you're in for!" a gruff voice mocked. Apparently this was much to the amusement of the horde, for they cackled with joy at this announcement.

Until this very moment Legolas had not known what would be happening to his mother, his radiant, loving, gentle mother. The fact had wriggled at the back of his mind, but until the orc's bruising grip on his mother held her, until the deed was begun, Legolas had not truly believe that it would happen. Legolas screamed then, before a chokingly foul hand was clapped over his mouth.

"Lady Celebrían?" Legolas peered uncertainly into the room. Celebrían looked up from her sewing, blue eyes sparkling. Her blond tresses had been left free, and she looked not unlike a younger version of her mother. Smiling, she invited him in.

"And please, call me Celebrían," she added as she cleared scraps of fabric from a chair beside her own to allow Legolas a place to sit. This room was flooded with sunlight, and everything sparkled and shimmered beautifully.

Legolas seated himself, settling a bundle of cloth in his lap. "La--Celebrían," he began, "you said I might assist you in your sewing sometimes."

The idea of brushing away this comment, telling Legolas that he needed not aid her, occurred to Celebrían, but she knew better. Legolas wanted something from her, and if all he wanted was to aid her in sewing, she would happily oblige to teach him some.

"Oft you have denied this request, but now I ask your help."

__

When the beasts had had their fun they cut her open, but she did not die at once. She lay alive, bleeding, against the tree where they had thrown her.

The one who appeared to be the leader pointed to Legolas. "Now the boy," he said. Legolas shivered as he realized what was meant, and much to his shame felt a warmness trickling down his legs: in his fear he had lost control of his bladder. The orcs found this highly amusing. "Come here, boy," the orc commanded.

Legolas was released. He could not think but to obey, and told his legs to move, but they stumbled, and he was shoved roughly from behind. If only I had my knives! The weapons had long been taken from him. Now in his fear he felt the great orc hands on his shoulders, gripping his tunic--

Then at once the beast toppled to the ground, taking Legolas with him, an arrow protruding from his throat. The elder sons of King Thranduil massacred the party of orcs while their mother lay bleeding. Legolas could not cry nor lose consciousness, such was the intensity of his suffering then, his terror, his sorrow, his relief.

"Lady, last night I cried for my mother. It was the first time. With every tear a great weight was taken from my heart. But tears alone will not heal me." Legolas lifted a tunic from his lap. "This was your son's. All of these were theirs, but they say now that I may call them my own. I wish to destroy these clothes, Lady, and to sew a patch of grey in every tunic, just here, where the heart is."

Celebrían nodded. She understood. Gently she plucked a tunic from Legolas' lap and laid it across her own, then searched her fabrics for grey. She would do what she could for this boy, even if all she could do was aid him in his prayer to Este: an appeal for healing.

*****

To be continued

Kit Cloudkicker: Yet you assume much on Tolkien's conception of majority, even in your statement of legal majority, and the question of whether aging is quicker in some times than others remains unanswered. For this reason, I write ages as human equivalent. It's more certain that way. To each his own.

Pippin the Hobbit-elf: Twenty questions goes like this: one person chooses something from the category of person, place or thing. A person could be, for example, Billy Boyd, Peregrin Took, or someone you know personally; a place London, Mars; and a thing any inanimate object. The person who chooses this thing then states the category (person, place, thing) and the other players try to guess what it is, asking twenty "yes or no" questions. I felt that Peter Jackson did very well in Return of the King, others felt differently. Thranduil's location will be addressed shortly, and the event was very recent. 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!


	12. Kings

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
Author's note: this one may be short, but that is because I rode a very stubborn horse this morning and it hurts to type. Next chapter will be longer.  
  
*****  
  
Laifëa felt his shoulders slumping and immediately corrected his posture. Tiredly he swept his eyes over the landscape. Laifëa had been on watch for nearly eight hours now. New to the rank of border guard and a patriot to the last, he had done the best he could. When a fellow guardsmen had been thrown from his horse, Laifëa had jumped at the chance to prove himself. If anything, this experience had taught him not to try to prove himself again: the hour was eight and the bright blue sky was absolutely taunting him.  
  
Content with a clear horizon, Laifëa rested his eyes for a moment, obscuring his vision to sleep. But--"What was that?" Laifëa jerked his head up: he had seen a spark of movement. . .ah, there it was! "Captain!"  
  
Erathrad, Laifëa's Captain, turned his head immediately. "What is it?" Erathrad asked. "What do you see?"  
  
"There, Captain," Laifëa said. "Look there. I believe it is the riders of King Thranduil of Mirkwood." The entirety of the Guard knew to expect Thranduil's men's arrival. Laifëa pointed, keeping his arm as straight as possible. The captain looked, then nodded. "Alert Lord Elrond," Erathrad decreed. With a nod Laifëa turned his horse and prepared to start off, but Erathrad stopped him. "Your shift on guard is near ended, I believe, Laifëa. By the time Lord Elrond knows of King Thranduil's arrival it will be ended completely. Respecting this, you may as well take some rest. 'Twould not be without honour."  
  
Laifëa nodded. "Thank you, Captain." Then he dug his heels into his horse and cantered through the trees.  
  
In Imladris, in the dining hall, Legolas was telling a joke. "There are two Men and a Dwarf," he said. "The first man walks into a bar. His friend, the second Man, is following, and he walks into a bar. Then the Dwarf. . .the Dwarf walks under the bar."  
  
The appreciative laughs in response to this were accompanied by the inquiry, "How do you know all of these jokes, Legolas? You have yet to repeat a single one!"  
  
Legolas smiled, not because of the question but because of the implications: No one had treated him any differently since that night. . .Still he hardly understood it. Why Elladan and Elrohir had been upset, Legolas did not know. He knew that he had run away and returned, practically feral. His injury had yet to fully heal, and his shame to abate. He wished to understand but dared not ask. "I have a good memory, I suppose," Legolas said in answer to the question.  
  
The sun shone in an incredible display of good weather usually reserved only for summer and spring: perhaps the immense quantities of rain had tired out the clouds.  
  
"I know a joke," Elrohir said.  
  
"He has probably already told it, dummy," Elladan replied.  
  
"I invented it, stupid!" Elrohir shot back.  
  
Elrond intervened, and with only one word managed to quiet the twins, "Boys."  
  
"Sorry, Ada," they chorused, added to by Elrohir saying, "But I did make up a joke. Listen: how is a king like a yardstick?"  
  
After only a moment he realized his mistake. Elladan and Legolas accidentally made eye contact, which sent them both into fits of giggles, and Elrohir could hardly help himself. Elrond and Celebrían were left momentarily uncertain of these insanely amused boys, who were squeaking out such things as, "Lucky you, Legolas!" and, "No, that hardly applies in Mirkwood." The elders glanced at each other and shook their heads. It was Glorfindel, his expression one of happiness without amusement whatsoever, who said, "You must think of this at their level."  
  
"What do you mean--Oh!" Celebrían exclaimed, then blushed scarlet. "Boys!" she scolded, not truly meaning it.  
  
Elrond, too solemn for his own good, was left in the dark. "What is it? They are both straight?" The posture of a king might be compared to that of a yardstick, however, due to the current topic in the minds of the elflings this sent them into helpless fits. Legolas attempted to hold in his laughter and shook with the effort, Elladan clutched his stomach and Elrohir wiped tears from his eyes. Elrond was becoming annoyed.  
  
"I will explain it to you later, dear," Celebrían said gently.  
  
Elrohir made a comment which caused Celebrían to say "Boys!" again, caused Elrond to become very much more confused, and caused Legolas to throw a bit of bread at Elrohir. "Thank you," said Elrohir, and he ate the bread. Legolas playfully knocked the younger twin off his chair, catching him unawares.  
  
"No one does that to my twin without repercussions!" Elladan announced valiantly, albeit through giggles, and attempted to throw Legolas, but succeeding only in falling over with the prince of Mirkwood atop him and his arms round Legolas' middle.  
  
"Oh, wonderful job of it!" Legolas commented sarcastically. Celebrían smiled proudly at this, careful to hide her expression. How could she explain Legolas' bravery, his continued jokes and plays when he fought inwardly so hard not to fall to pieces?  
  
"Now, boys--"  
  
But it was no good. In moments Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir were laying into each other, in the interest of tickling the others until they lost consciousness from a lack of air, when Laifëa entered. The border guardsman dropped into a quick bow, then hurried over to Elrond and said, "Forgive the interruption, Lord, but the riders of King Thranduil have been spotted approaching from the south."  
  
At once Elrond knew which route had been taken and approximately when the riders would be arriving. He nodded and, understanding, Laifëa bowed again and left, glad to have that over with; he somewhat feared figures of authority.  
  
Over by the wall, the three boys were still wrestling but Legolas' eyes were fixed on Elrond, intense and inquiring. The Elven Lord nodded to him. Very slowly Legolas extracted himself from the match, inevitably ending the bout. "Are you going to meet them?" Legolas asked.  
  
"I am," Elrond replied. "And yourself?"  
  
Legolas nodded, biting his lip. Celebrían was touched at his bravery, and for this reason elected not to meet the riders. "Ada, may we--?" Elladan began.  
  
"You may not," Celebrían answered before he finished.  
  
"But Nana!" Elrohir complained.  
  
Celebrían raised an eyebrow sternly and shook her head. "If I recall correctly, there are two boys in this room whose rooms need cleaning." The twins looked absolutely horrified. "Go on, think of it as a political stratagem! Impress your enemy!"  
  
Legolas and Elrond only vaguely heard this, as they had left the room already. The tradition of having a great host to meet a visitor is one of Men; Elves have no such manner but greet arrivals individually. So it was that only Elrond and Legolas intended to meet Thranduil's riders.  
  
"Am I correct in suspecting that you have something you wish to discuss?" Elrond asked.  
  
Legolas, who at the time was taking three steps to Elrond's two, answered, "I only wondered. . .Lord Elrond, there was once a treaty between our lands. There is not now, is there?"  
  
Elrond looked at the young prince sadly. "There is not. The treaty dissolved before it had truly been accepted. We are tacit allies, nothing more."  
  
"Then I propose an alliance regardless of the pride of my father," Legolas announced, much to the surprise of the Lord beside him, who for the first time realized that Legolas was not only a child and a friend to his family, but also a prince. For the first time, Legolas exercised his power--the power he assumed he had. "The forest darkens. You know this. A time will come when Mirkwood cannot stand on her own. I fear this. You, Lord of Imladris, have been as a father to me, and I am grateful. But King Thranduil may well not see this. Of late he is distrustful. I fear his isolation of Mirkwood will weaken her badly. Allies over enemies, Lord Elrond."  
  
"What treaty do you propose?" Elrond asked, shaken by the sudden appearance of a strong politician in a little boy but unwilling to deny this possible alliance. Forming such things were tricky.  
  
"I propose that in the event of request or blatant necessity of aid in matters of military this will be duly provided, the two shall not declare war upon one another, and. . .and Mirkwood requests the assistance of Imladris in forming a more positive relationship with Lothlorien."  
  
"Agreed. The finer points follow to be discussed. However, Prince Legolas, I fear I must warn you: the likelihood of King Thranduil swallowing his pride for such a treaty is. . .not great."  
  
Legolas replied as a son and a prince now; "You underestimate him. Remember, he is now your ally!"  
  
Elrond chuckled. "I will remember. Perhaps it may be that you will draft this treaty and I shall sign it, if it follows what we have discussed, then you may carry the document to King Thranduil, hm?" He wondered how Lord Amroth and King Thranduil were to be conciliated into an alliance.  
  
The two halted before the arched bridge leading over the river to Imladris. On the opposite bank the members of the Mirkwood party dismounted and the leader turned to his obvious second to speak. Legolas interrupted him. "Ada!" he cried. "Ada!" Legolas broke away from Elrond and raced across the bridge.  
  
Indeed, Thranduil himself had come to retrieve his son from Imladris. Elrond unconsciously held his breath. He sincerely hoped that Thranduil would do the right thing for his son. What ever he did would affect Legolas deeply, and Elrond wished there was something he could do for the blonde- haired boy, who burst across the river at full speed to pause before his father. 'Please, Thranduil!'--  
  
For a moment the world seemed to stop--  
  
"Legolas!" Thranduil grabbed the boy, who was small for his age, and lifted him into the air. The Elvenking held his son tightly with a grip of happiness and fear. "Oh, Leaf, how I feared I should never have seen you again!"  
  
"But I am here, Ada, I am here now and so are you," Legolas answered, equally elated.  
  
"Aye, so you are."  
  
'Of course. Thranduil may not be the most admirable King in history, but there are some things every elf, and every father, knows.'  
  
*****  
  
To be continued  
  
I looked it up, and turns out, Amroth, not Galadriel, ruled in Lothlorien at the time this is set. Reviews are always appreciated! Flames are best kept to yourself!  
  
Gwyn: No one has told the twins yet, but in good time.  
  
Kit Cloudkicker: Okay, well, that's your decision. I prefer to relate ages in human terms. 


	13. Journeys

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places thereof  
  
*****  
  
A week later, in the clutches of one of those unkind hours of the day when anyone in their right mind would rather be sleeping, Lord Elrond slumped his shoulders and rested his face in his hands. King Thranduil himself had come to Imladris. There, at least, something good had happened: he had come for his son, not sent riders for his prince. Who, naturally, had been so elated he had hardly stopped telling those awful jokes to sleep.  
  
The treaty had been drafted, picked over, drafted, and finalized. For hours the three of them, Elrond, Thranduil and Legolas had been sitting up arguing over the document. Elrond kept a close eye on Legolas, when he could spare it, but found that nothing in the Prince's behaviour could be found wanting.  
  
Now that final document rested before Elrond, but worry stayed his hand.  
  
Yes, Thranduil had come to Rivendell and this had meant to Legolas more than words could tell. However, he had done nothing further. They had not had any talks about Legolas' mother's death nor had Thranduil tried to breach that topic, in point of fact he avoided it like the plague, figuratively speaking. Elrond feared that soon the two would leave, and then what might happen? Any number of things could set Legolas's mind back all the steps he had fought so hard to take!  
  
"You should not worry so, love," Lady Celebrían said, entering and setting a cup of tea at her husband's elbow. "Drink that."  
  
Elrond looked at the cup, then at his wife. She knew how he hated tea. Wincing, Elrond tipped his head back and emptied the contents of the cup in one efficient slug. Celebrían covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "You are up early."  
  
"As are you and the boys," Celebrían answered. "Tell me what weighs so heavily on your mind."  
  
"Legolas and Thranduil," he told her honestly. "When they leave here, I fear Thranduil will not know what to do. Someone has to talk to that boy and how I wish it was not he that must! Even now I cannot council him, he would not have it."  
  
Celebrían looked out the window, wondering if she might catch a glimpse of the boys. "You could talk to him, Elrond. You have yet to try."  
  
"Come, Galadriel's child can not be innocent of the ways of politics! Thranduil is a King, it is not my place to dictate to him his actions."  
  
The woman smiled ethereally, one trick (thought Elrond) that she learned from her mother. "You must decide what is of greatest import to you, Peredhil," Celebrían said. She turned to go and, as she did so, encountered Thranduil just outside the door, raising his hand to knock. "Good morrow, King Thranduil," Celebrían said pleasantly, slipping past him.  
  
"Good morrow. . ."  
  
"Hail, Thranduil of Mirkwood," Elrond said to him. "The treaty is yet unsigned."  
  
Thranduil nodded, accepting this. He turned to leave and, deciding all at once that Legolas's health mattered more than treaty, Elrond called to him, "Thranduil, if you would but wait a moment--" Then, instead of waiting for him, Elrond rose and went to the King.  
  
"Thranduil, I speak to you now as a friend. Your son is not well. He needs you now, he needs to know that he can rely on you to be there when he needs. Legolas is only a boy and this is a very difficult time for him."  
  
Thranduil looked to Elrond with a sort of anger born of weakness but not of insult. "And how do you know?" Thranduil asked. "Can you understand how this is tearing my family apart? It is easy enough for you to criticize me, your wife is here and safe in Imladris! How would you feel if you were not to see her again? How can you blame me for mourning?"  
  
"I do not blame you for mourning," answered Elrond, "but you must speak with Legolas. He needs you."  
  
"He is only a boy, he will forget. Children are like that, they bounce right back."  
  
When Thranduil had gone Elrond stood by the hearth with the treaty in his hands. He wished Legolas strength, and realized then that the boy had been strong, and would be strong. It was his father who was weak. "I am sorry, Legolas," he said. "Nay, you will understand this. Your efforts were valiant."  
  
While the alliance burned to ashes, Elrond smiled. He recalled his brother, not dying, not old and decrepit, but young, the day when Elros stole Elrond's hair-ties and climbed up a great tree to keep out of his little brother's reach, grinning and laughing.  
  
*****  
  
Legolas smiled at the biting wind on his cheeks. He had started at a trot early in the morning and now came closer and closer to the lip of the valley Imladris. Nothing mattered now but that freedom, knowing that he could go where so ever he wished, into the valley or into the wild as he chose.  
  
When he halted his horse the mountains lay across the valley in front of him, a thick copse to his left, all the lands to chose from: Lothlorien and Mirkwood, Fangorn if he felt brave, Gondor of Men for adventure and the lands of Halflings, those mythical beings, should he feel that curiosity tug at his heart. He needed but pick a direction and ride.  
  
Elladan came to a halt at Legolas's left and Elrohir at his right. For a moment they sat in silence, each with his own thoughts, then Legolas spoke, "Here we are. . .Here we can go where so ever we please. I saw my mother ravaged by the orcs, again and again as they passed her around like chattel. They cut her to bleed to a slow death then started. . .they would have done the same to me, had my brothers not saved us. Saved me. She. . .passed to Mandos. I like to think she has that same freedom, that she may ride where she wishes, but this should not suit her well. I hope she is somewhere where she is happy. Mother would not have liked to move hither and tither such."  
  
The twins knew not what to say but watched their friend, expecting sadness and tears in his eyes. Legolas looked deeply into the eyes of Elrohir and Elladan in turn, then pulled his reins thus that his horse reared up in surprise. "Last one to Lorien is a rotten egg!" Legolas shouted, then turned his horse to a gallop back into the valley of Imladris.  
  
*****  
  
THE END  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
This story does have a prequel in which Legolas meets the twins for the first time. I'm going to write the whole of that one before I post it, so you all will not have to wait so long between chapters, but it will be up in time. I hope you enjoyed this story! 


End file.
